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Economy adds to animals' plight:
Friends, please help us meet the challenges ahead
Summer 2009
Dear Friends,
In effort to make Sophie buck, she was shocked with a “hotshot,” kicked, strapped and whipped. Now, she is mentally a mess and does not trust people.
Although many of you know we just celebrated our 2nd year anniversary at our new location, we are actually on our 9th year of working hard to prevent farm animal abuse and neglect. During these years, many of our animals have been able to live quiet peaceful lives, doing what they do best. Simply living!
Unfortunately, many of our friends who joined us from the beginning are now getting old and some have gone on to quieter pastures. I haven’t reported on some of them as it is simply too painful. Maybe that is selfish of me, but even now as I write this I find it tough. I will at least try to honor them by mentioning some of their names: Stevie, Carmen, Pearl, Marty, Bart, Baby, Adolf and Cauli. Their loss has made it possible for more animals to seek refuge at the Sanctuary, and as we have expanded to use all of our new acreage, the number of animals living here now tops over 200.
We have even added a few that have sought us out…unexpected and maybe not farm animals, but welcomed just the same. Recently, four wild mallard ducks fly in at night to eat the grain I leave for them in the driveway. A bushy tailed gray squirrel has taken up residence in a tree by the house and a relocated Acorn Woodpecker visits regularly to eat from the numerous bird feeders.
There are three things we have experienced recently requiring your help for us to continue.
- Caring for geriatric animals is often unknown territory for several of our veterinarians. (And I do believe we have surrounded ourselves with some of the best.) Simply put, most farm animals DO NOT get to live out their lives to an old age!
- Animals in entertainment. The horse pictured above is Sophie. She was once a rodeo horse and reportedly would not buck. She would just run. In effort to make her buck, she was shocked with a “hotshot,” kicked, strapped and whipped. Now, she is mentally a mess and does not trust people. It has taken weeks for her to allow me to scratch her on her nose.
- It is a fact that we may not like, but farm animals have economic value! When demand drops, so does the value of the animal. People cannot afford many of their horses, resulting in abandonment and neglect. Many have gone to auction. Recently, a friend went to a local auction to just see what was going on. At the auction, two yearling foals were brought into the ring. These two foals sold for $35 for the pair. The TV news and the regional agriculture newspaper reported milk prices have bottomed out. Too much milk hitting the market. In order to change the supply, many already over used milk cows are being slaughtered to reduce the milk supply and raise the prices.
Our feed costs, veterinarian costs, rescue and rehabilitation costs and the basic living costs continue to deplete our funding. Competition for grants is high resulting in less assistance for non-profits. All of this while more and more animals need your help. Without your help, we will lose our voice to speak out for them and to provide them refuge. I am asking you today to make as large of a contribution as you can to the Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary. Help us raise our voices for all of these innocent victims. Dig deep and we will raise our voices for you and for them!
Thank you,
Wayne S. Geiger, President/Director
